NPTE-PT NPTE-PT Test Gait, Balance, and Orthotics Questions and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which gait deviation is most commonly associated with quadriceps weakness during the loading response phase?
- Excessive knee flexion with compensatory forward trunk lean (Correct answer)
- Genu recurvatum
- Circumduction
- Steppage gait
Correct answer: Excessive knee flexion with compensatory forward trunk lean
Quadriceps weakness during loading response causes the knee to buckle into flexion, and patients often compensate by leaning the trunk forward to move the ground reaction force anterior to the knee.
Question 2: A floor reaction AFO is most indicated for a patient with which condition?
- Crouch gait with weak plantarflexors (Correct answer)
- Foot drop with intact quadriceps
- Spastic equinovarus deformity
- Medial-lateral ankle instability only
Correct answer: Crouch gait with weak plantarflexors
A floor reaction AFO blocks tibial advancement and creates a knee extension moment, making it ideal for crouch gait patterns with plantarflexor weakness.
Question 3: During terminal stance in normal gait, which joint motion contributes most to forward propulsion?
- Ankle plantarflexion (Correct answer)
- Hip flexion
- Knee extension
- Subtalar inversion
Correct answer: Ankle plantarflexion
The gastrocnemius-soleus complex generates a powerful plantarflexion moment during terminal stance that provides the primary propulsive force for forward progression.
Question 4: The Berg Balance Scale consists of how many items and what is the maximum score?
- 14 items, maximum score of 56 (Correct answer)
- 10 items, maximum score of 40
- 20 items, maximum score of 80
- 12 items, maximum score of 48
Correct answer: 14 items, maximum score of 56
The Berg Balance Scale includes 14 functional balance tasks, each scored from 0 to 4, yielding a maximum score of 56.
Question 5: A patient wearing a KAFO with a drop-lock knee joint demonstrates difficulty initiating swing phase. What modification would best address this?
- Add an offset knee joint to allow automatic locking in extension
- Replace with a stance-control knee joint (Correct answer)
- Increase the posterior stop angle
- Add a plantarflexion stop
Correct answer: Replace with a stance-control knee joint
A stance-control knee joint automatically locks during stance for stability but unlocks during swing to allow free knee flexion, improving gait efficiency.
Question 6: Which sensory system is primarily challenged when a patient performs balance exercises on a foam surface with eyes open?
- Somatosensory system (Correct answer)
- Visual system
- Vestibular system
- Auditory system
Correct answer: Somatosensory system
A foam surface provides inaccurate somatosensory input from the feet, forcing greater reliance on visual and vestibular systems for balance.
NPTE-PT NPTE-PT Test Gait, Balance, and Orthotics Questions and Answers 3
Which gait deviation is most commonly associated with quadriceps weakness during the loading response phase?